Yes, after days of talking about the O-line, the running game and interior pass rush — in this mock the Seahawks take a linebacker in round one.

Here’s the thing. A lot of the guys we’ve talked about being possible targets for the Seahawks are rising up the board. Garett Bolles looks like being a top-20 lock. I’d love to continue to pair him with the Seahawks — but is it realistic?

Even if someone like Vita Vea declares — he’ll likely head straight into the top-20 because he might be Haloti Ngata.

I could’ve given them a different defensive lineman or D’Onta Foreman — but I need to see their combine workouts to fully understand if they’ll be targets or not.

Troy’s Antonio Garcia is said to be a big riser according to Tony Pauline. Yet there’s very little tape available online at the moment.

The one thing you can always fall back on with the Seahawks is they love grit, beating adversity, freaky athleticism and production.

Step forward Haason Reddick.

At his junior pro-day he reportedly ran a 4.47 at 6-1 and around 230lbs. He also supposedly had a 10-10 in the broad jump and a 36-inch vertical.

Let’s compare this to Bruce Irvin’s combine:

Forty: 4.50
Broad jump: 10-3
Vertical jump: 33.5 inches

We’ll have to see if Reddick can back up the numbers above — but there’s your comparison.

In High School, Reddick suffered a fractured femur and missed an entire season. Upon his return, he suffered a torn meniscus. With no tape to impress potential landing spots in college, he went to Temple University with the intention of becoming a regular student.

His father grew up in Camden with one of the Owls’ assistants — Francis Brown — and put in a good word for him. He was offered the chance to walk-on.

Even then it wasn’t plain sailing. He was told there was no place for him on the team. A change of coaching staff from Al Golden’s crew to Matt Rhule’s led to one last chance and he took it and eventually earned a scholarship.

The rest is history.

If they’re looking for an impact player with great athleticism that has battled adversity — Reddick could be a target. He’s accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl where he’ll have a chance to bolster his stock.

A few weeks ago we talked about being able to possibly draft Garett Bolles, Haason Reddick and Shalom Luani in the same draft class. They could all end up in the top-50 by the end of April.

I know this won’t be many people’s ideal scenario. That’s not the point though — we’re here to look at different options and possibilities.

Could they trade down?

With two quarterbacks (Trubisky, Watson) off the board there’d be every chance. Some teams will want a shot at Deshone Kizer.

What would this mean in terms of Seattle’s big needs?

They’d still have a second rounder to get an impact player — but if they’re picking someone like Reddick they likely would’ve filled some needs in free agency.

Were they able to land an interior disruptor like Calais Campbell? Some veteran help for the O-line? Add a physical running back?

It’d be a lot of work to do in free agency — but not impossible. And any one of these needs could still be addressed in rounds two or three. The Seahawks are expected to receive an extra third round compensatory pick.

Who might they target later on?

Depending on what they do in free agency, here are some suggestions:

Bradley Chubb (DE, NC State) — he’s 6-4 and 275lbs with the tools to be an inside/out type rusher. He had 21.5 TFL’s this year and 10 sacks. The 21.5 TFL’s are the second best in school history behind Mario Williams’ 27.5 in 2005. He’s the cousin of Georgia running back Nick Chubb. We know Chubb had an explosive performance at his Nike SPARQ Combine so there’s a chance Chubb will have an exciting physical profile too.

Shalom Luani (S, Washington State) — Exciting, underrated safety with the range to cover a lot of ground quickly and the physical toughness to play up at the LOS. His backstory is the definition of grit and he could easily be a fast riser into the earlier rounds. If the Seahawks want to tap into a strong safety class and get some quality depth for Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, this could be their guy.

Forrest Lamp (T, Western Kentucky) — Probably more of a guard at the next level, Lamp came to prominence with a strong performance against Alabama earlier this year. The Seahawks want intelligent, explosive offensive linemen. We’ll see if Lamp has the physical profile at the combine — but his personality and character will be very attractive to teams.

Adam Bisnowaty (T, Pittsburgh) — He was a highly rated four-star recruit in High School with a wrestling background (something we know Tom Cable likes). He could compete at tackle or guard. He wears Evan Mathis’ #69 and there are some similarities in their style. Tony Pauline has compared Bisnowaty to Ricky Wagner — a free agent-to-be from Baltimore.

Dalvin Tomlinson (DT, Alabama) — Massive, athletic defensive tackle from a system we know the Seahawks appreciate. Great character, has battled some adversity. Talented musician and artist too. Not the best pass rusher but could forge a solid career as a Tony McDaniel type.

Chad Wheeler (T, USC) — At times really looks the part of a future pro tackle. Consistency isn’t always there and he has a tendency to lunge. If he can correct the technical issues he has a skill set worth monitoring. One to watch at the combine.

Elijah Qualls & Greg Gaines (DT’s, Washington) — Reports suggest Vita Vea won’t declare but it’s not clear what Qualls and Gaines intend to do. Both are really disruptive nose tackle types, capable of causing problems in the passing game and not just the run.

You could include others too. Dorian Johnson, Dan Feeney, Caleb Brantley, Chris Wormley, Dion Dawkins, Taylor Moton to name a few. The combine will reveal a lot as usual. We’ll have a better idea of the names to watch.

Solomon Thomas was outstanding in his Bowl game against North Carolina. He completely dominated throughout, making several splash plays including the game decider. On that evidence he’s going in the top-15. No doubt about it.

Taco Charlton was very productive against Florida State. Missouri’s Charles Harris hasn’t had much attention this year but teams will love his skill set and profile. Both will likely go in the top-25.

I prefer Garett Bolles to Ryan Ramcyzk but won’t ignore the noise that Ramcyzk is highly rated. Bolles’ age might be an issue for some teams (25 in May) but he should still crack the top-20.

Really curious to see if the two ND OL come out because it may push Bolles down a little if someone like McGlincheys youth and upside. I prefer Bolles but my finers are crossed the age scares some team off.

I think Rob nailed it with Denver being an ideal slot for Bolles so if we want him would likely have to jump in front of them.

I would like to see the Hawks invest their draft/FA capital on a few impact players that they are absolutely sure are an upgrade. Gone are the days of trading down to build depth — there is no room at the inn. Unless you’re gonna take a flier on a bunch of high ceiling/low floor guys and let them compete in camp hoping you find a diamond in the rough. But I would rather see them trade up for a Bolles if they really believe in him — and/or make a big splash at RB/interior DL. I suspect Campbell is going to break the bank for some team.

Having said that, I’m all in with the current squad. This is the little team that could and I’m hoping to see a guy they have already put their faith in break out at the end of this 2016 run. On thing is for sure, I can’t bear to see another of our boys have a limb snapped in super slow motion reply. That has been ROUGH.

Rob – if Fournette is really available at #6, could you see the Hawks pulling a Falcons/Browns-style trade and moving up to get him? The Jets are an old team in need of a talent infusion. Are there productive players currently on the Seahawks that you would be willing to part with, as part of a package to land Fournette?

If you sell the draft (which I’m not for) and it played out as Rob has outlined above, why set your limit on Fournette if Dalvin Cook were sitting there at 10?

I don’t care if he’s not a seahawk style rb. That dude is a Percy Harvin from the rb position without the attitude. You just find a way to give him 15 touches a game no matter what system you play in, and if you want a chains moving grinder you find him some other way.

Can you really trust Darrell Bevell to get Cook 15 touches when he can’t get Jimmy Graham 10? When he couldn’t call anything for Percy Harvin that wasn’t a jet sweep or bubble screen? When it took him forever to get Tyler Lockett some of the targets that were going to Kearse?

Not sure about scheming, I’ve had my frustrations with Graham’s usage.

Just responding to how everyone seems to get locked into one guy as the answer and the must have, versus other players and alternatives out there. If selling the draft is one possibility (of which I don’t like personally, but considering that they are appearing to go all in on the current roster for an sb appearance, it does increase the likelihood of the scenario), we can’t ignore other guys out there that are not named Fournette.

I was thinking the same thing. Forget Fournette. What I saw from Dalvin Cook against Michigan convinced me that if the Hawks were going to trade up then it should be for him.

But then I started thinking that there are several guys at different positions the Hawks could grab at a higher spot: DE/DT Demarcus Walker, WR Corey Davis. If the Hawks can find Rawls as a UDFA, certainly they can find a Dalvin Cook clone in rd 2-3.

Than I wouldn’t like the pick. I think I would prefer a trade back or any of the picks after the Hawks would be better value.

Tabor (if he wins the battle with Shead, can replace Lane)
Mc (he is as versatile as they come, if the Hawks continue to prefer the read option, he would be an asset)
Obi (can be Buchananon clone)
McDowell (still need help on the line)

Rob I like the mock and agree completely with the guys you have rising.

The only pick I don’t like is the Riddick pick. PC / JS have always aggressively filled areas of need in the draft early. The two areas of weakness straight from Pete are interior pressure and run game / OL.

I like Reddick as a player but a non-pass rushing LB just seems like a luxury pick not a need and I just don’t see him being that special to justify passing on the best interior pass rusher / OL or big RB.

I’m curious about where OJ Howard will land. Why Buffalo? Seems like they have a lot of different needs, is tight end the most pressing issue for them? I’m guessing that he could fall but still be taken in the first round. If he gets to Seahawks spot is he worth looking at?

I’m not so sure that Denver will pick a tackle. Okung played okay for them. I saw a few mistakes but he held up well against Kansas. The right tackle spot could be upgraded – but should it be there? Or will they go for a defensive linemen? Seems like the defense wasn’t as good as last year.

The Reddick pick – It seems like you are being seduced by dreams of a good combine and measurable stats. I would prefer a player proven against big adversaries who is a game changer and fills an immediate need for the team. A great linebacker is always a need, but in the first round? He seems like more of a second rounder to me. Its also hard that you dangle McCaffrey in front of me and then don’t pick him.

Love some of your other picks. If Seahawks come away with three off that list I would be very happy!

I’m not being seduced by anything regarding the Seahawks — the blurb specifies the pick is conducive with aggressive moves in free agency and that Seattle has often targeted SPARQ’d up, dynamic players who have battled adversity and have major college production. They took Bruce Irvin at #15. I’m willing to consider they might like Reddick similarly.

Denver will not keep Okung, he gets expensive next year and he has not played well enough to justify it.
It was always a 1 year deal that they would walk away from unless he played very well.
And their o line has been as bad as Hawks and Vikings this year

I like this move. We all know the hawks need to fix the running game but you also can’t force the board. I still think the defense is the bread and butter and if the board doesn’t break for offense then inject some new fire onto the defense. I’d look at 2 of Reddick, Luani, and Qualls with the first two picks. I could see a small trade back in 1st to add a 4th rounder and then maybe a trade up in 3rd like they made for Lockett.

Posted this last night with no response, so here goes again. Happy New year.

Hello everyone, does anyone know how Russell Okungs 3 million bonus, bringing him to 8 million a year, will affect the Seahawks comp pics? Could it be a 4?
Also, Rob consistently mentions that the Hawks will get a 3 for Irvin, but originally it was projected as a 4. Does anyone have any insight? Thanks

Hello- All I see is 12’s – If Rob says the Hawks are getting a 3rd round comp pick for Bruce Irvin then we are. Rob knows his stuff and even predicted the Seahawks take Irvin before the draft. So always trust his judgement in my Eye’s. Don’t know anything about Russell Okung’s deal and couldn’t care less, hope someone can help you with that.

My friend, I think Rob is the greatest resource for Seahawks fans on the Internet. If he is projecting the Seahawks getting #3 pick then that makes me very happy and I believe him. However, over thecap initially had the Seahawks getting a four on the outside of the bubble for a 3. If they were wrong, or if the projection has changed, I am interested to read more about it. I have not had much luck finding updated information on this. Same with OKUNGS salary growing to 8m. Seems like that would put us in line for a 4. But I don’t know how the comp formula works regarding player bonuses.

Cheers my friend ” All I see is 12’s ” I’ve learned from being on this blog since “The pass we do not speak of” that Rob Staton is incredibly intelligent and he deciphers the draft and American Football very graceful like if that makes sense. He truly is phenomenal with his insight. We are all so very lucky to be able to read his writing.

I think it might depend on the the 1st year (since the remaining are team options) or if they look at the total. Not sure when they will make the call. I am hoping they can get 1 3rd rd and 2 4th rd comp picks (Irvin/Okung/Sweezy).

That means if Okung hypothetically rises to a 4th because of a bonus, the Seahawks would get the 3rd and 4th but Sweezy’s 5th would now be cancelled instead (so it just upgrades one of the picks and doesn’t add one).

If Seattle found some solution to the issue of RB through FA or trade, I would really dig this pick. I think this defense has missed the athletic playmaking presence of Bruce this year. IMO, I think it has impacted the run game and pass. Reddick started out as a corner and worked had myself into a rusher. Bruce started out as a safety and worked his way towards being and end. There seems to be a lot of similar traits there.

The more I watch tape of Jamaal Williams the more I fall in love with him. He’s a big, downhill runner that would be a great Round 3 pick up. If he can run sub 4.55, I think he could sneak into the 2nd round.

Seattle doesn’t have to spend it’s first round pick on a RB, but if we can get a 3-down running back in the third or second round, I think that’s what we do. Especially considering we still have Prosise and Rawls (even with their injury prone natures).

J Williams looks pretty good. How tall is he? I tend to think taller (and skinnier)) RB don’t have the balance or low center of gravity to do well. They lack the low center of gravity to make lateral shifty moves that a 5-10, 5-11 guy can do.

He’s my favorite RB for the value. I’m excited to see how he does in the Senior Bowl. When he has gone up against other solid RBs out there ( Kareem Hunt, Brian Hill etc.), he has outperformed them. His swag and attitude seem Seahawky, and he loves the game of football.

Williams looked good in some games — but he looked kind of average in others. He’s one of a list of RB’s in this class that don’t really leap off the screen. I think that’s the problem with this RB class. Lot of guys that probably just end up being average at best at the next level.

I like what I see from watching the Chronicles of Reddick (Sorry, someone had to say that eventually). I would be okay with the Hawks making that move in the 1st or 2nd rd.

Rob, I looked at WR Ross and I see some talent, but I don’t see him being drafted before WR Corey Davis. You have Ross being taken mid 1st rd and Davis slipping out of the 1st completely. Davis looks bigger, more muscular, more physical, fights for ball and wins more. Davis looks like Dez Bryant in size and talent, and Ross looks skinny and fragile compared to him. Davis is also more well known nationally than Ross. I think Washington would have to beat Alabama and go on to win the National Championship with Ross making spectacular catches along the way before he gets drafted before Davis.

Needless to say, I would be very happy if the Hawks had an offseason like:
Free agency: OL, Calais Campbell
#1 Corey Davis
#2 Move up and take Reddick
#3 RB ( Jamaal Williams?)

I know WR is a luxury pick when the OL and RB position is a greater need, so I only would advocate drafting Corey Davis if the OL and RB were addressed in the offseason. Looking at the WR we have now, they are good but on the smaller/ fast side. Kearse is good at 6’2, and Mcevoy is good at 6’5. It just seems they can use a bigger ” go to” guy like Davis with a bigger catch radius. Of course, we have JG who could be used as a bigger WR as well and would be a nightmare to cover if both of them were on the field together.

I spent about an hour trying to find all the tape I could on Reddick not just hi-lights.

My initial view was that he was an elite athlete facing inferior talent and was more of an athletic LB than a pass rusher. I thought he was a little like Fackrell last year.

Have to admit I think I am underestimating him. My bad Rob! He does look to me a much more natural pass rusher than I originally thought and in some tape against power conference OTs he shows good bend and leverage around the edge.

He is certainly a more complete LB than Bruce was in college particularly in pass coverage which Irvin never had to do in college.

Still would prefer OL or DL in Rd #1 but if the Hawks took Reddick it would be hard to argue with the pick and an LB corp of Reddick, Wags, KJ would be off the charts.

Love that start by Wash!!!! I am from Canada not the PNW but I would so love to see them pull off the upset. Love the way Pettersen coaches and the program he is building and that team is ultra talented.

I don’t know if someone mentioned this already, but Alvin Kamara declared for the draft yesterday. Even with a few kids withdrawing, the RB class remains strong. Kamara and Hunt intrigue me as R3 targets.

Obviously who we grab in FA will determine our draft pick. If we go O-Line, then a DE/DT is a must like DeMarcus Walker. If we end up grabbing someone like Calais Campbell, then we need to grab an OT.

Rd. 1 – Either OT/DT which depends on FA (Bolles or Walker would be prefered)
Rd. 2 LB to fill that Irvin role. Mike Morgan is just serviceable.
Rd. 3 RB – Jamaal Williams. Maybe he is an inch taller than we normally get, but he checks all of the boxes we look for.

I’ve got to say that Browning seems like the weak link on the Washington team. And it’s not just this game, he has had a tough time passing for most of the second half of the season. He isn’t particularly large, or a good runner, or has a great arm. He made some poor decisions right before the half, almost looked like he was trying to throw interceptions.

It’s kind of sad as Washington could have been in the game if they had a better QB. It would have been an uphill battle, but it could have been close. I’m expecting to see Browning for two more years.

Hey, everybody. Happy New Year and thanks for all the draft talk! Here comes some ideas on RBs:

Like Rob, I’m still on the fence about D’Onta Foreman. At first, I thought he was just hitting wide open holes against vastly inferior defenses, but the more I watch, the more I think he might actually have some of the best vision I have seen so far. Like he is so quick at finding or knowing where the holes will be that he never has to hesitate and can always be coming downhill full speed. Still haven’t decided.

I have cooled off a lot on Samaje Perine. This could be crazy cause it is just an impression from a few Youtube videos, but I honestly think he does not love the game of football. In one interview he even said he would rather be in the gym than on the field. CMike 2.0 as far as amazing physical specimen gym rat that won’t have the football instincts and passion to put it all together in the pros. Not worth the risk for me.

Especially now that Vol. and others have pointed out next year should be better for Seahawky power backs, and there might be some possibilities in FA along with Alex Collins progression, I think we should take advantage and back up Prosise this year: Curtis Samuel (5-11, 197).

I think that might kind of kill a few birds with one stone: get a Tate (5-10, 199) build WR to develop, a KR/PR backup for Lockett, a pass-catching RB to back up Prosise, and all around offensive weapon ala you-know-who (Actually, he’s even a bit bigger than PH (5-11, 192) was coming out.)

Was actually a RB before, but moved to WR to stay involved when Elliot was at Ohio St.

Asked to remember the first flash of greatness he saw in Samuel, Urban Meyer didn’t say the athleticism: “It was his toughness,” Meyer said. “He went in, he was a lead back on a block, and I mean, he just ran right over whoever it was. I remember looking at [strength coach] Mick [Marotti] and just going, ‘Whoa.’

“A lot of times, guys with that kind of skill set aren’t the toughest guys in the world, and as a result, they don’t become much. This guy is a tough guy.”

It would probably make a lot of sense for him to stay in school for his senior year and raise his stock. It is also mentioned he seems to want to finish his degree. But if he does go pro this year, the Hawks should be all over him, cause next year he will probably be out of range.

I agree with you on Curtis Samuel Sea Mode. V12 and I had a brief exchange earlier this year about Samuel’s value to a team like SEA. I think it was during the OSU-MICH game.

He’s Harvin without the negative ‘tude, and could play in a number of roles for SEA.

I don’t agree with your revised assessment of Perine. He hates the media and giving interviews like Lynch. Doesn’t mean a thing when it comes to his desire to play the game. I still think he’s one of the better RB prospects for SEA this year.

Having said that though, I have a full-on man crush mode for Bo Scarbrough. Big, strong, fast, agile. Yes please.

To help the run game, I actually really like the idea of getting a big guy like Scarborough or Foreman and still finding a way to get Samuel. I really lean on what Wyman said about the state of the runners presently on the team. Then you factor in Prosise and Rawls, possibly Collins, and that starts looking USC deep and they can get really creative with Prosise and Samuel.

U of W will always struggle against teams with larger players. They finally got a defensive line that can match up pretty well with the big teams. But the rest of the team still gets worn down by larger players. It didn’t help that Browning had a lousy passing game, yes he was rushed but he also threw some bad passes and didn’t throw the ball away soon enough. You have to be mistake free to beat Alabama.

I just saw a mock draft on br that had LF going 10th and cook going 16 or 17th. I for one, would be all over going up and grabbing LF if possible. But cook at 17 is very intriguing. What would you guys do?

I doubt it to be honest Trevor — when the QB is visibly on camera mouthing to the offensive staff “I have no time”, on a night when Washington’s offense was shut down completely for the first time all year, I think teams will appreciate how overmatched every opponent (except LSU) is against Bama’s defense. Browning couldn’t get Ross the ball.

LSU didn’t score on Alabama but it was 0-0 for ages and only finished 10-0. If LSU had even an average QB it would’ve been very interesting. They’re the only team that has come close to beating Alabama this year.

Yeah, the pick six really took the wind out of the sails. I actually liked Washington’s strategy of pounding it inside and then attacking the perimeter up to that point. Great play by Anderson. Thought that turned the game, and took Washington away from that. Alabama’s pass rush and coverage was superb from then on out anytime Washington tried to get more vertical.

I thought the game turned when Scarbrough converted that 3rd and 9 from the Bama 3. If UW had been able to hold them on that series, they would have had excellent field position, down only 10 points, with most of the 4th quarter left.

Didn’t watch the game, so FWIW. I thought I saw the same from Ross vs. Colorado. Yes, he grabbed that jump ball duck that Browning threw. But there were several plays later in the game where his effort seemed lacking. I got the distinct impression he was a guy who knew his QB wasn’t going to be able to get the ball to him, so why kill himself on the route?

Browning’s struggles down the stretch killed the UW. If you could picture the exact kind of team to give Bama trouble, it would be the Huskies, IF the QB could be quick and accurate in the intermediate passing game. And for some reason, that part of Jake’s game left him during the bye week.

The said part about the Peach Bowl is that it’s going to get completely lost how unbelievably great UW’s defense is. Bama is clearly the best defense, maybe ever, but UW is clearly #2 in the country IMO.

Yep, that was an amazing performance by the Husky D. No one besides LSU held Bama under 30 all year long, and despite the Husky O going 3-and-out or turnover every time they touched the ball and forcing them to constantly start defensive possessions on their own half of the field, a Husky unit missing two of it’s best players held them to 17 points on 57 yards passing, 4-of-14 on 3rd down, etc. The offense still needs a major size/strength/speed/talent infusion to compete with Alabama but the defense is already there. Hopefully it can reload successfully for the guys they lose to the NFL this year.

Read somewhere that CAR really want a premier RB to pair with Newton and won’t pass on either Fournette or Cook depending on which is available. That might make Stewart a cap casualty (CAR would save about $5M if they cut him). Wouldn’t mind seeing him in SEA’s backfield in 2017 for the right price.

I don’t have my finger on the pulse of CAR’s cap situation, but I know they’re gonna pay big to keep Kawann Short. Maybe they don’t have to let go of Stewart (he does have $3.5M dead cap), but if they do take Fournette or Cook, there wouldn’t be much need to keep Stewart.

For all the praise of UW’s defensive backfield – and rightly so – I thought Bama’s unit was amazing. Except for that early TD catch, they pretty much shut down UW’s WRs, especially on deep routes. Some very impressive players on the backside of that Bama defense.

I know Trubisky and Kizer are the hot names as QB prospects but if I could only take one QB in this draft class it is Deshon Watson hands down. It is not even close. All he does is make plays, lead and win. Remind you of anyone in a Seahawks or Cowboys jersey?

I’m impressed with Watson too. I wonder how the Huskies would have done with him at QB? Probably still struggled with that Alabama defense. He is playing well. Speaking of qbs, Hurd isn’t bad for a freshman, he is a strong runner.

On RBs, free agency looks pretty bleak. No feature backs except for Leveon Bell, and he will be coveted. If they want a veteran, it will be via trade.

The draft offers a lot of smaller Prosise/Harvin-esque options, not a lot of features beyond the usual suspects like Fournette and Cook, who are out of reach. I do like D’Onta Foreman. Samaje Perrine—if in fact, he proves to be motivated to be an NFL player. Jamaal Williams would be a load, but I question his footwork a bit.

It bothers me to see Dallas riding on Zeke Elliott. Credit to Dallas for taking him early (was worth it) but if he gone in the mid-low first round, in position for the Hawks, he would have solved a lot of problems. Rawls can’t stay healthy, Collins is a disappointment, Prosise is not a lead back.

I like the idea and thinking behind the pick, but I just do not see Seattle going LB with their 1st round pick. However… 31. New England Patriots — Obi Melifonwu (S, Connecticut)… if this guy were truly available when Seattle picked….. they pretty much have to grab him. Imagine being able to have a Chancellor 2.0 learning on the job.

Happy New Year to everybody!
What better day to look back 12 months (and then look ahead).
Our primary needs then were multiple OL and at least one DL. Then BeastMode retired and we had to add also RB to the offseason to do first list. With little cap space available our FO got two OL’s that really were supposed to be a security for the draft not going well. They couldn’t provide even that, bad luck or bad evaluation. Then in the draft they covered their needs in the proper way I guess getting multiple OL and RB and trading up when they saw DL on the board that on their draft board should have been gone by at least half a round.
(Un)fortunately the Seahawks draft in the bottom quarter of each round every year it seems so the chances to get first year big time contributors is a lot smaller than for top five picks. So their goal should probably be every year to find second year and after big time contributors in the draft and cover the immediate needs in FA (cap space permitting that is).
So this year with the cap space a lot bigger than last year I hope they address the OL getting at least one “guaranteed” starter at RT or RG and if still possible also the interior pass rush. In the draft they then could focus on BPA and covering the secondary needs. I see them in RB (I know lot’s of you disagree), S, LB and EDGE. And even though I don’t have the expertise to evaluate the draft class at any level it seems that for the defensive side quality and quantity is quite rich on those positions.
My dream scenario: Zeitler and Campbell in FA, and the first 4 picks on RB, S, LB and EDGE in BPA order.

So Myles Garrett officially declares for the draft yesterday. If he doesn’t go #1 overall, some GM needs to be fired immediately.

Also, wouldn’t that have been scary if the 49ers had lost last week and moved up into the #1 slot?! Don’t want to even imagine facing another scary division DLine. Let’s hope there are no surprises today.

Yeah for sure! Last thing we want is for him to fall to 49ers and have to face him the next 8 years twice a year.

The Browns 1st round should be a no brainer IMO.

Garrett #1 as he is a generational talent and then Deshon Watson with the other 1st round pick. They need a leader on offense to bring a winning culture and there is no one better in college football. This kid has Russel Wilson / Dak Prescott type intangibles and if the Browns pass on him for the flavour of the month Trubisky of Kizer it will just add to their list of horrendous decisions.

If they re-sign Collins and Pryor then add Garrett / Watson this team would have some elite talent on each side of the ball to build around.

Here’s one that no one would agree with. If Watson fell as outlined in the mock above, one more pick, I’d take him, learn behind RW, and you may have a future high first round trade bait for a later year.

Other than an occasional turnover as the centerpiece and enemy #1 on Clemson’s offense, I don’t see why people are so down on him.

Yeah I agree. I don’t get it either. They would sooner a guy like Kizer whom struggled the one year he played and won nothing. You would think after seeing the success of Russ, Dak even guys like Brady that the NFL would learn that leadership, work ethic and just knowing how to do what it takes to rally a team an win games would mean more in evaluation. Must be because you can’t measure it.

It will be an interesting draft. As with most drafts, values are misplaced. Some ‘experts’ have Robinson as the #1 OT, mainly due to his measurables and the program in which he comes from. Ramcyzk is #2.

There’s a likelihood that (2) Cams may end up in Carolina and Ramcyzk going to Denver. Although Denver’s blogs have been featuring Bolles as their 1st pick. You never know about choices GMs make. Maybe age may be a factor in Elway’s decision to pass on Bolles.

So, there just may be a chance. From pure talent standpoint Bolles should go to Denver. If that does come to fruition, then I can see them again trading down and picking up a 2nd and 3rd from Cleveland.

Thomas seems to have faith in RGIII as ‘the guy’ to lead the Browns. So, they may be the team in play for Kizer for that trade scenario you mentioned in trading out of the first round. The Browns would have (3) 1st Rd picks, with the last used for a QB that can sit behind RGIII, having a similar skill set.

Reddick could be a likely 1st selection. But, with Cunningham potentially so close, going @ 22, I’d go get him. I think he’s the smartest defensive football player in the draft, not to mention his physical capabilities. He does it all! He plays all LB positions and is a monster against the run. KJ, WAG & HAM could go down as one of the best, if not the best, LB tandem to play in the NFL, potentially. A 2018 3rd Rd for the trade up would be worth it.

As far as OL help Antonio Garcia is my 3rd Rd pick. The film I’ve seen on him shows his athleticism. He moves well and does need stronger hand placement though. But, it’s there for Cable to develop into a starting LT or RT @ 6-7 304lbs. He hasn’t given up a sack on over 400 snaps. I realize the competition may not be as strong for Troy, but it’s still impressive. I like his potential fit, if Bolles is gone off the board.

I like Garcia. Not sure if he’s a true LT or will have to move to RT, but he has some long arms!

With the Niners set to clean house I wonder if this opens up a possibility that Staley will be made available again? Before the trade deadline he was available but for a 1st. Coyle he be available for a 2018 2nd rd pick?

I would love to see A trade for Staley, with the 1st trade to top of 2nd and pick up Lamp and gain a 5th. Pickup Giacomini on the cheap to compete at RT and draft a developmental guy later like Andreas “THOR” Knappe, Storm Norton or Julien Davenport

On a great 2016 season note, a win today and Falcons loss and the Hawks get #2 again. Also a Lions and Redskins win keep Packers at home.

Hawks/Saints/Redskins/Lions is whom I will be cheering fo.

On to 2017. Saw a news blurp that Cable, Bevel and Richard could get HC interviews. Don’t see that at all, but would welcome all three leaving. I really think the OL philosophy and playcalling need a change. A move to a power scheme and more sophistication in playcalling will help the O greatly. As for Richard, too many breakdowns and bad games for the last two years. I know a lot of injuries, but too many times he stayed stagnant instead of mixing things up.

Thanks Vol
Her grandfather is a big nines fan and keeps trying to suck her in. I said I do think so, this family is blue and green. I bought her a Seahawks shirt that says ” I dont have a choice, I was born into this”

There is zero chance, JS would spend a first round draft pick on Reddick. He clearly would not be ready to start in this defense for at least two years. First round picks are for positions where they expect the player to contribute right off the bat. The only exception I can think of would be a passing down DT/DE that they know can collapse the pocket. This may be a year they trade out of first round to pick up more later round picks.

Here’s a guy who’s been forgotten about. Rob brought him up a month and a half ago or so and I wasn’t high on him at 1st. Thought he was a guy you could find in FA. Boy do I think I’m wrong. Hear me out:

First off I’ll be shocked if those are his official measurements. Looks to be about 6’4, 290 and there ain’t nothing wrong with that.

What an athlete! My god. Imagine this kid at 3-tech in a 4-3 D where he can 1 gap? Scary.

Great versatility. Can and has played everywhere on the D-line. Length looks to be off the charts. Explosive, stays low, very strong. He’s still a little raw in terms of hand usage, but man can this big guy move and fire off the snap. Rumored to run a 4.8 40!

I think teams will love his character. Seems to be a great kid. Harbaugh can’t say enough good things about the type of person he is. He’s outspoken though, but that would fit on our D.

Keep an eye on him. I think he’ll be a late 1st-early 2nd. He’s impressive.

The NE coaching staff really is at a different level. Every time they pick up a guy he just look so much better playing for them.

Examples
Bennett
Blount
Lewis

Now Floyd who looked terrible this year in Ariz is playing like a star in NE. Brady obviously is a huge factor but so are culture, expectation, scheme and coaching. No team does a better job of putting their players in a position to be successful. I hate them but boy you have to respect them.

Rob, I hope you take as a compliment the fact that I disagree with so much of what you write and say but I keep coming back for more because you consistently provide thought-provoking opinions/ideas and have created the best spot on the web that I’ve found for discussion of these ideas as they relate to our favorite (favourite 😉 team, the NFL draft, etc.

Having said that, still disagree on Peppers, and think NFL teams will, as well. Those TFLs and sacks and INTs are basically Eric Striker numbers as an undersized OLB and he was largely ignored by NFL teams. Now, Peppers is faster and more athletic in space, but coverage is still (IMO) his weak area. Meaning he’s an even more undersized OLB/S hybrid. If he runs in the high 4.4s, maybe I’m wrong, but I still see a guy who is mid- to late-1st, at best.

And I like Reddick, but like others, think we don’t spend a 1st on this position. You’ve said it all along, it’s about helping the running game. This doesn’t help it.

I know this is a seahawks blog…
I think after that loss… a lot of UW players will surprisingly return. I think ross jones and even baker, and especially pettis could all come back for their senior years. I hope all three defensive tackles return also.

For folks who are wondering about our actual comp pick position, as I am, all I can find is a May 10, 2016 estimate on overthecap.com that has Seattle getting 2 4th round picks. Bruce Irvin is the veru top 4th round guy. There is such thing as a “snap count adjustment” and I guess that is why Rob believes he will be a 3rd round comp? The secret decoder for that is kept somewhere in Fort Knox. Seattle was also slated to get a 4th for Sweezy who hasn’t played all season. Then there is the Okung question as to whether his $8M vs $5M would change anything. If his $8M counts that would put him higher than Sweezy but still in the 4th round. They also wrote this regarding Okung;

Russell Okung and Kelvin Beachum (click their names for contract details) signed unique deals with Denver and Jacksonville that start off as a one year contract with a team option for four more years at much higher rates. It is my belief that the compensatory formula will consider only that first year of the contract, based upon Brandon Browner giving Seattle only a 6th round pick in 2015 instead of a 5th due to his contract also containing a team option after Year 1. If I’m wrong about that, or if the rules have changed, the following changes would occur:
Denver would get a 7th for Vernon Davis instead of a 3rd for Brock Osweiler.
Seattle would get a 3rd for Okung instead of a 4th for JR Sweezy.
Pittsburgh would get a 3rd or 4th for Beachum instead of a 5th for him.

Agreed. They look pretty lifeless across the board so far. If they can keep it close in the second half perhaps they can pull out another come from behind victory. Playing out of a hole in the first half is sure getting old and won’t hold up against a better team. Not sure if it will even hold up today against a team in the running for the number one draft pick. Come on man.

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